after the official launch in abu dhabi, the second edition of al manakh that was first published in 2007. the book focuses on new urban developments unfolding in the gulf region, will be presented at shelter on tue - jun 8 [7.30pm-10pm]. dubbed al manakh: gulf continued, the book features 536 pages of interviews, travelogs, analyses, propositions, infographics and photography from over 140 contributors that give a unique perspective of the gulf region and the impact of the financial crisis. rsvp [here] for access. location: 318th road, al quoz industrial area 4 [al quoz].
urban subculture as we know it in the west is emerging fast in dubai as the fakie skateboard deck art show indicates. launched earlier this week at shelter, it’s curated by fn designs and is the region’s very first showcase of such art [on until may 27]. the exhibition features work by a slew of local urban creatives, including diya ajit, rollan rodrigues and vivek premchandran. location: 318th road, al quoz industrial area 4 [al quoz].
opening today at carbon 12 is de con re struct, a group show featuring a series of fascinating abstract paintings by artists martin eiter, suzanne jonak and annabel emson. the works on display reflect the prime paradigms of the adventure of abstraction: to see, or not to see. location: warehouse d37, street 8 [al quoz].
opening today at storefront for art and architecture is refuge, a photo show of dutch photographer bas princen [on until jun 26]. the work on display is the result of extensive research in five cities in the middle east and turkey: istanbul, beirut, amman, cairo and dubai. it’s a documentation of the spatial products of refuge, ranging from migrant worker camps to gated satellite cities in the desert or the proximity between abject poverty and extreme wealth. location: 97 kenmare street [nolita].
after launching internationally at milan’s salone del mobile, emerging emirati design brand local kicks off a showcase back home at traffic on tue - may 11 [7pm]. the local collection includes furniture, clothing and objects from the united arab emirates, utilizing collaborations with artists, architects and designers with the idea of movement and collaboration as the heart of its concept. the list of current designers includes fadi sarieddine, rita nader and james clar. location: saratoga building, al barsha.
geekfest dubai is back at shelter on thu - apr 29 [7.30pm]. this edition is themed when geeks go green and next to collecting old elctronic devices for recycling, it hosts a series of interesting talks by local geeks, including ashraf ghori, hamna ahmed and mohammad alhuraiz. location: 318th road, al quoz industrial area 4 [al quoz].
what could ever top an awe-inspiring structure like the burj khalifa? well, maybe dubai pearl. although this isn’t a competitive attempt to erect the world’s tallest building, it’s the size and striking shape that make it stand out. designed by german schweger association architects, the mixed-use complex boasts a staggering 20 million sq.ft. spread over several high-rise towers and costs eur 2.6 billion [approx. usd 3.5 billion].
the complex features top-end apartments and penthouses for 9,000 residents, a business center, a 2,000-seat theater and no less than six five-star hotels [including vegas blockbusters mgm grand and bellaggio, and the newly established baccarat]. construction of the dubai pearl started in 2008 and its completion is scheduled for 2013. location: sheikh zayed road [al sufouh].
art dubai is back in town on mar 17-21. seventy art galleries from across the planet showcase their finest at the middle east’s leading contemporary arts showcase. next to the art fair there’s an extensive program of related events, including the global art forum and the abraaj capital art prize. click weblinks for more info. location: madinat jumeirah arena, jumeirah road [jumeirah].
should be great fun for avid vitra. fans…and who isn’t? we’re talking the vitra miniatures show that officially launches on sat - mar 6 at traffic. on display are 100 miniatures of classical seating from some of the world’s groundbreaking designers [1800-1990]. location: saratoga building, al barsha.
contemparabia is a cultural travel program that lays bare the middle east’s many cultural treasures and showcases interesting contemporary art initiatives throughout the region. this year’s program is held mar 7-19 and focuses mainly on the fast re-emerging lebanese capital beirut. listed are a variety of activities, including art gallery visits, meets with contemporary artists and designers, plus the opportunity to indulge in the good life as savvy beirutis nowadays enjoy it.
through affiliation, the contemparabia program also offers the option to continue on to dubai for the annual art dubai fair held on mar 17-20. click [here] to register and/or receive further event information.
no, this ain’t no newly discovered deep sea creature. it’s a spectacular shot of the equally spectacular fireworks-infused opening ceremony earlier this week of the burj khalifa, the planet’s tallest building. formerly known as burj dubai, it stands 828 meters [2,717 ft.] tall and took more than 5 years to complete at a whopping cost of usd 1.5 billion. the giant structure accomodates prime office space, luxury apartments and a plush 160-room armani hotel + spa. location: sheik zayed road [downtown].
launched earlier this year, shelter is a so-called community workspace in bustling dubai. this multifunctional venue doesn’t only look cool but also offers a wide range of services. targeting modern creatives and entrepreneurs, it boasts ergonomically sound workspaces, a library, a cinema, a health food restaurant, a shop and a garden for outdoor recreation. membership of shelter comes with a string of additional benefits. location: 318th road, al quoz industrial area 4 [al quoz].
after a successful launch last year, the traffic design competition, organised by dubai-based design practice traffic, launches on mon - nov 9 [4pm-6pm] with a launch gathering at the gallery space. themed design as reform, participants are asked to explore ways in which arab culture should preserve authenticity in light of mass production and exportation.
they’ll have to reinterpret the following structures according to certain design disciplines without depriving them of their history, nor reverence for these forms: the mosque through architecture, the majlis through interior design, the mashrabiya through graphic design and a public installation through experimental design.
the competition’s deadline is mar 6 - 2010 and the award ceremony will be held in dubai in june next year. the winning entries in each category will be produced by traffic. for more information on the competition, attend the launch gathering at traffic gallery or click [here]. gallery location: saratoga building [al barsha].
traffic celebrates its second anniversary with to, an exhibition that showcases the gallery’s various design and art projects from 2008-2009 [on until oct 29]. on display is a wide range of works, from conceptual art to product design. additionally globe lights, a series of brand new light designs by artist james clar can be viewed. location: saratoga building [al barsha].
dubai has got a new ride: the dubai metro. launched last week, it’s one of the planet’s most advanced mass transit systems with fully automated, driverless trains. the new red line runs from the jebel ali freezone via downtown dubai and dubai airport to al rashidiya and should be fully completed in february next year when a second line is scheduled to open. currently, only 29 stations out of the planned 50 along the red line are operational. the construction cost of the dubai metro project is already over budget and stands at usd 7.8 billion.
the mass transit system is the first in the u.a.e. and was initially planned to transport the emirate’s huge foreign workforce [a staggering 70% of the total population]. however, the recent economic downturn has diminished their number considerably and surveys also indicated that affluent dubaiites hardly showed interest in public transportation. but despite negative predictions, 110,000 passengers [10% of the population] made a journey on the dubai metro on the first two days after the launch.
curious to see what dubai, abu dhabi, sharjah and other booming middle eastern cities will look like the next few decades? then check out the form_de_form_re_form_trans_form_in_form exhibition, opening thu - jul 16 at traffic gallery. curated by george katodrytis, this interesting show features a selection of architectural models and drawings from students [2001-2009] of american university of sharjah’s school of architecture. location: saratoga building, al barsha.
photo: the form_de_form_re_form_trans_form_in_form exhibition at traffic gallery
opening sat - jun 27 [7pm] at 50°c is the stereo.type exhibition, showcasing a series of artist ebon heath’s awesome typographic hanging sculptures and also a new collab typographic jewellery collection he made with dubai-based designer mona ibrahim. rsvp [here] for access. location: souk al bahar [burj dubai].
french luxury powerhouse chanel is on the up again, making its mark in the middle east with the opening of a third flagship store in dubai at the dubai mall. measuring 663 sqm., the new store features the brand’s entire collection of ready-to-wear fashion, bags, shoes, watches and jewellery.
photographer corinne vionnet’s solo show photo opportunity at the empty quarter opens sun - apr 12 [7pm-9pm]. on display are photo works from hundreds of snapshots of tourist locations which she finds on the internet. location: building 2, difc gate village.
the krunk creatives team up with cuadro gallery to present the works of legendary urban artists futura, phil frost and stash. opening thu - mar 19, the exhibition showcases their work alongside leading middle eastern and international artists and additionally a site-specific installation will be rendered by futura for this event. music and film backdrops will heighten the viewing experience and the show will feature a special soundtrack by damian taylor. location: building 10, difc gate village.
…and if you’re heading for dubai, you may want to explore some more of the region’s emerging cultural treasures. if so, check out contemparabia, a spectacular excursion program [mar 15-21] which takes you to the latest projects in dubai, doha, abu dhabi and sharjah.
check out the opening party of for your eyes only at traffic gallery on wed - mar 18 [8pm-midnight]. on display are a series of new works and installations by lighting artist james clar. location: saratoga building, al barsha.
contemporary art rules the emirate these days. check out the opening party of the blow out group show at the empty quarter on tue - mar 17 [4pm-9pm]. on display are works by sama alshaibi, jeejung kim, asim rafiqui, nermine hammam and farah nosh who artfully engage in the perils and pearls of the human condition through photography. location: building 2, difc gate village.
japanese tee brand graniph keeps expanding worldwide, this time to dubai. it has set up shop at the ritzy dubai festival centre, featuring a cool variety of wannahave tees. location: dubai festival centre, shop rc 026, sheikh zayed road [ras al khor].
the darling of discerning crowds across the planet, japanese master chef nobu matsuhisa opens his first restaurant in the middle east, and where else but in dubai? located at the new multi-million dollar atlantis resort on palm jumeirah, this fine dining spot’s interior is equally lavish as its sister establishments elsewhere. maintaining the emphasis on craftsmanship, natural materials and storytelling, the dubai restaurant features walls and ceilings surrounded with curvilinear abacá panels and vernacular architectural details from the region. the vibe is a stylish fusion of the master chef’s rural japanese background and dubai’s seaside environment. location: atlantis resort, palm jumeirah.
check out project muslaq, a show featuring vinyl wall stickers by winners of a design competition initiated by the khatt foundation / centre for arabic typography and mosaiques, at traffic gallery [until dec 6]. on display are 18 different wall sticker designs, inspired by traditional arabic calligraphy and poetry, and islamic and arabic vernacular symbols. location: saratoga building [al barsha].
opening party of the 50°c design store is sunday, march 2 at 7.30pm with a gig by tabla artist suphala. designed by manabu ozawa, it features a mixed collection of apparel, homewares, toys gadgets, music and cards. click [here] for access. location: souk al bahar [burj dubai].
